Exodus 13

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,	1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
2 'Consecrate al the first-born to me, the first birth from every womb, among the Israelites. Whetherman or beast, it is mine.'	2 “Sanctify to me every firstborn which opens the womb among the sons of Israel, as much of men as of cattle. For they are all mine.”
3 Moses said to the people, 'Remember this day, on which you came out of Egypt, from the place ofslave-labour, for by the strength of his hand Yahweh brought you out of it; no leavened bread may be eaten.	3 And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day, on which you were taken away from Egypt and from the house of servitude. For with a strong hand the Lord has led you away from this place. Thus, you shall eat no leavened bread.
4 On this day, in the month of Abib, you are leaving,	4 Today, you go forth in the month of new grain.
5 and when Yahweh has brought you into the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, theHivites and the Jebusites, flowing with milk and honey, which he swore to your ancestors that he would give you,then you must observe this rite in the same month.	5 And when the Lord has brought you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your fathers that he would give to you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you will celebrate this manner of sacred rites in this month.
6 For seven days you wil eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there must be a feast inYahweh's honour.	6 For seven days, you shall feed on unleavened bread. And on the seventh day, it will be the solemnity of the Lord.
7 During these seven days unleavened bread may be eaten; no leavened bread may be seen amongyou, no leaven among you throughout your territory.	7 You shall consume unleavened bread for seven days. There shall not be seen anything leavened with you, nor in all your parts.
8 And on that day you wil explain to your son, "This is because of what Yahweh did for me when I cameout of Egypt."	8 And you will explain to your son in that day, saying: ‘This is what the Lord did for me when I was taken away from Egypt.’
9 This will serve as a sign on your hand would serve, or a reminder on your forehead, and in that waythe law of Yahweh will be ever on your lips: for with a mighty hand Yahweh brought you out of Egypt.	9 And it will be like a sign in your hand and like a memorial before your eyes. And so may the law of the Lord be always in your mouth. For with a strong hand, the Lord led you away from the land of Egypt.
10 You shal observe this law at its appointed time, year by year.	10 You will keep this observance, at the established time, from day to day.
11 'When Yahweh has brought you into the Canaanites' country, as he swore to you and your ancestorsthat he would, and given it to you,	11 And when the Lord has brought you into the land of the Canaanite, just as he swore to you and to your fathers, and when he will give it you,
12 to Yahweh you must make over whatever first issues from the womb, and every first-born cast byanimals belonging to you: these males belong to Yahweh.	12 then you shall set aside for the Lord all that opens the womb and all that is first to go forth among your cattle. Whatever you will have of the male sex, you shall consecrate to the Lord.
13 But every first-born donkey you wil redeem with a lamb or kid; if you do not redeem it, you mustbreak its neck. Al the human first-born, however, among your sons, you wil redeem.	13 The firstborn of a donkey you will exchange for a sheep. And if you will not redeem it, you shall put it to death. But every firstborn of man among your sons, you shall redeem with a price.
14 And when your son asks you in days to come, "What does this mean?" you wil tel him, "By thestrength of his hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt, out of the place of slave-labour.	14 And when your son will question you tomorrow, saying, ‘What is this?’ you will respond, ‘With a strong hand the Lord led us away from the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude.
15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, Yahweh killed all the first-born in Egypt, of man andbeast alike. This is why I sacrifice every male first issuing from the womb to Yahweh and redeem every first-bornof my sons."	15 For when Pharaoh had been hardened and was unwilling to release us, the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man, even to the firstborn of beasts. For this reason, I immolate to the Lord all of the male sex that opens the womb, and all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’
16 This wil serve as a sign on your hand would serve, or a headband on your forehead, for by thestrength of his hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt.'	16 Therefore, it will be like a sign in your hand and like something hanging between your eyes as a remembrance, because with a strong hand the Lord has led us away from Egypt.”
17 When Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not let them take the road to the Philistines' territory,although that was the shortest, 'in case', God thought, 'the prospect of fighting makes the people change theirminds and turn back to Egypt.'	17 And so, when Pharaoh had sent the people away, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, which is nearby, considering that perhaps they might relapse, if they saw wars rise up against them, and then they might return to Egypt.
18 Instead, God led the people a roundabout way through the desert of the Sea of Reeds. The Israelitesleft Egypt ful y armed.	18 But he led them around by the way of the desert, which is next to the Red Sea. And so the sons of Israel ascended, armed, out of the land of Egypt.
19 Moses took with him the bones of Joseph, since Joseph had put the Israelites on solemn oath withthe words, 'It is sure that God will visit you,' he had said, 'and when that day comes you must take my bonesaway from here with you.'	19 Also, Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because he had sworn to the sons of Israel, saying: “God will visit you. Carry my bones away from here with you.”
20 They set out from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the desert.	20 And setting out from Soccoth, they encamped at Etham, in the most distant parts of the wilderness.
21 Yahweh preceded them, by day in a pil ar of cloud to show them the way, and by night in a pil ar offire to give them light, so that they could march by day and by night.	21 Now the Lord preceded them to show them the way, by day with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire, so that he might be the leader of their journey at both times.
22 The pil ar of cloud never left its place ahead of the people during the day, nor the pil ar of fire duringthe night.	22 These never failed: a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, in the sight of the people.